Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Competition

The Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Competition celebrates illustration across editorial, advertising, publishing, institutional, commercial and personal work. The competition accepts work from illustrators around the world, with categories covering advertising, books, editorial, for sale, institutional, motion/animation, self-promotion, unpublished work and student work.

Now in its 2027 edition, the competition is judged by an international jury of designers, art directors and illustrators. Selected work will be published in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual, in both print and digital editions, and on commarts.com.

Any illustration first published or produced between January 2026 and January 2027 is eligible. Entries may come from any country, and Communication Arts notes that English descriptions are important for the jury.

The competition does not accept AI text-to-image generated submissions.

Selected entries will appear in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual, in print and digital editions, and on commarts.com. A comprehensive index will also include contact information for the illustrators represented in the Annual.

Who Can Enter the Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Competition?

The competition is open to illustrators worldwide. It covers both professional commissioned work and several categories for personal, unpublished and student projects.

The competition is particularly relevant to:

• Professional illustrators
• Editorial illustrators
• Book illustrators
• Advertising illustrators
• Illustration studios and agencies
• Students
• Artists working on personal or experimental projects
• Illustrators and animators working in motion

For the Student Work category, the work must have been created as part of a school assignment. Personal unpublished work belongs in the Unpublished category instead.

What Can You Enter?

The 2027 Illustration Competition has nine categories.

Advertising

Illustration for advertisements, posters, record jackets, product packaging and similar promotional work.

Books

Illustrations for book covers, jackets and interiors. Book entries must be published.

Editorial

Illustration created for consumer or trade magazines, newspapers and similar editorial publications.

For Sale

Illustration created for posters, prints, greeting cards, licensing or stock, gallery sales, online stores and similar commercial uses.

Institutional

Illustration for company or association publications, annual reports, catalogs, client websites, blogs and related institutional work.

Motion / Animation

Time-based illustration for film, television, video or web projects where illustration is the primary element.

Self-Promotion

Illustration used in print or online to promote illustrators, design firms, advertising agencies, art schools, printers, paper companies and similar organizations.

Unpublished

Experimental, personal or other illustration work that has not been published.

Student Work

Illustration or animation created as part of a school assignment.

Entry Fees

Entry fees depend on the category and whether you submit a single image, series or motion entry.

Advertising — Single: $40
Advertising — Series: $80

Books — Single: $40
Books — Series: $80

Editorial — Single: $40
Editorial — Series: $80

For Sale — Single: $40
For Sale — Series: $80

Institutional — Single: $40
Institutional — Series: $80

Motion / Animation — Single: $90
Motion / Animation — Series: $180

Self-Promotion — Single: $40
Self-Promotion — Series: $80

Unpublished — Single: $40
Unpublished — Series: $80

Student Work — Single JPG: $20
Student Work — Single Video: $45
Student Work — Series of JPGs: $40
Student Work — Series of Videos: $90

For most categories, a series can contain up to five illustrations. Motion/Animation series can contain up to three animations, with each animation limited to five minutes.

Entries submitted after January 8, 2027 are subject to a $10 late fee per entry. Entry fees are nonrefundable.

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

Communication Arts does not offer a cash prize for this competition. Instead, selected entrants receive recognition through awards and publication.

Selected entrants receive:

• A personalized Award of Excellence milled from solid aluminum
• Award certificates for firms, individuals and clients
• Publication in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual
• Publication in both print and digital editions
• Publication on commarts.com
• Inclusion in the Annual's illustrator index

Communication Arts states that selected work is distributed worldwide through the Illustration Annual and its digital and online editions.

Submission Requirements

All competition entries are processed through the Communication Arts online competition system. Entries cannot be submitted by email.

Before entering, applicants should prepare:

• Contact information
• Project title
• Basic creative credits
• Digital files of the work being submitted

File Specifications

Digital Images

• JPG format
• RGB color mode
• Maximum file size: 2 MB

Motion / Animation

• MOV, MP4, MPG or GIF
• Maximum file size: 500 MB

The exact accepted file type can vary by category, so entrants should check the official category information before submitting.

For accepted work, Communication Arts will request high-resolution reproduction materials for publication in the Annual.

Single Entries and Series

Each illustration is treated as a single entry. Campaigns or series are limited to five illustrations and must be created for the same project. A project can also be entered as both a series and as individual single entries.

Important Rules

AI-generated work: Communication Arts does not accept AI text-to-image generated submissions for the Illustration Competition.

Eligible work period: The illustration must have been first published or produced between January 2026 and January 2027.

Multiple categories: A project can be entered in multiple categories as long as it fits the requirements of each category.

Series: Series entries must belong to the same campaign and are judged together as a group.

Student work: Student Work must be created for a school assignment. Personal unpublished work must instead be entered in the Unpublished category.

Copyright: Student work must be completely original unless the entrant has permission to use copyrighted material.

Email submissions: Entries must be submitted through the online system; email submissions are not accepted.

Rights: Entrants retain rights to their images. Selected entrants grant Communication Arts permission to reproduce the work in its online, digital and print publications.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

Only accepted entrants will be notified, and Communication Arts states that notifications are sent within two months after the final deadline because of the volume of entries received.

For accepted work, Communication Arts will also request complete credits and any additional materials needed for reproduction in the Illustration Annual.

Things to Consider

Best for: Professional illustrators, editorial artists, book illustrators, advertising illustrators, animators, students and artists with unpublished or personal work.

The competition covers a broad range of illustration practices, including advertising, books, editorial, institutional, commercial and self-promotional work, as well as motion/animation. The Unpublished category also provides a separate submission route for personal and experimental work.

The Student Work category is limited to projects created as school assignments. Personal unpublished projects should be submitted under Unpublished instead.

Entry costs vary substantially by category and submission format. Most single-image categories cost $40, while Student Work starts at $20. Motion/Animation entries have higher fees, and series entries cost more than single submissions.

Another important consideration is the competition's eligible work period. Only illustrations first published or produced from January 2026 through January 2027 qualify.

Before entering, check that your work falls within the eligible date range, fits the correct category and meets the relevant file and submission requirements.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Competition

For the complete rules, category descriptions, current fees and submission process, visit the official Communication Arts competition page.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: September 25, 2026